IO+

Ecosystems should be based more on logic than geography. After all, entrepreneurs always look beyond their own region to gain access to essential resources such as financing, knowledge, and customers. Yet, actors in the ecosystem often continue to throw up barriers instead of building bridges. Research by Jip Leendertse, Yvette Baggen, Maral Mahdad, and Sharon Dolmans, with a focus on the ecosystems around Brainport Eindhoven, Wageningen University & Research, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht University, and Eindhoven University of Technology shows that, although there is evidence of improvement, there is still much ground to be gained. Read the details here, including five concrete steps ecosystem actors can take. https://lnkd.in/dE_i-vTR

Venture capital and lots of patents in Defense: why innovation is exploding in this industry right now - Marco Coolen, a Dutch and European patent attorney at AOMB Intellectual property, explains what's going on and what startups can do to ride the wave. https://lnkd.in/ecmZhJqx

In 2011, Brainport Eindhoven became the first and, until now, the only region in the Netherlands ever to be named the “smartest region in the world”. Now, Brightlands Provincie Limburg is a candidate for that same title. “#Limburg has a lot to show in the field of medical technology, new materials, artificial intelligence, and healthy food,” said the jury when announcing the nomination. Read more about the background and initial comments here: https://lnkd.in/eP7cZvVb Louis Zacharilla Intelligent Community Forum Stephan Satijn Maurice Bert Edgar Brightlands Startup League Brightlands Chemelot Campus Brightlands Academy Brightlands Smart Services Campus Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus BV Emile Roemer SMART21

Clean air is not yet a given - “Issues surrounding the environment, the climate, and clean air should not cause polarization in our city,” Alderman Rik Thijs writes in his monthly column for IO+. https://lnkd.in/emPsEp3A

TNO research improves damage prediction for wind turbine blades. Researchers already found out that a large part of the damage to offshore wind turbines occurs in just 12 hours of the year, under specific weather conditions. More here: https://lnkd.in/eZegpe95

According to the United Nations, in 2022, 2.2 billion people did not have access to safely managed water supplies, meaning they had to queue for water or collect it from unprotected sources, lakes, rivers, or ponds. In the Netherlands, everyone has access to clean tap water and our country is a leader in water technology. Today is #WorldWaterDay, and we are spotlighting three Dutch companies reshaping water technology: Ferr-Tech, Hydraloop, and HULO.ai. Read more here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eHpeRXV2

Transitioning to a greener society is not easy, but innovation and research can help. Mauro's GREEN+ corner discusses some of the most interesting developments monthly.

In the highly charged debate surrounding the attacks on science in the US, the Netherlands wants to free up money to attract top international scientists (i.e., those working in America). Great move, but how serious can this initiative be if you consider the growing concerns about the state of Dutch higher education? Universities are groaning under the increasing workload, years of underfunding, and an increasingly restrictive policy regarding internationalization. A quick analysis: https://lnkd.in/eHKcCrpR Universiteiten van Nederland Caspar van den Berg Marcel Broersma Scott A. Eldridge II Rik Smit Ansgard Heinrich Gera Stuurwold Frank Harbers

Cars have gained significant weight over the years, with new cars becoming 400 kilograms heavier since 2016, largely due to the rise of electric and hybrid vehicles with heavy batteries. This added weight increases energy consumption, wear and tear, and production costs. Reading about metamaterials, engineered materials with special geometrical properties, Bernard Ennis had a eureka moment. So, together with a colleague, he came up with the concept of crushable steel, which is both rigid and elastic. “It can absorb collision forces much better.” Elcke Vels spoke with him for the latest episode of the Innovation Maestros series. Read more ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ev9Hmvmg

Minister of Education Eppo Bruins has proposed a special fund to bring dozens of top scientists to the Netherlands. Bruins does not say it out loud, but it is mainly about scientists who work in the United States and are in danger of losing their jobs under the Trump administration. The exact amount is unknown, but it is said to be tens of millions of euros. It is a remarkable statement from a minister who is simultaneously trying to put a stop to the internationalization of Dutch education. https://lnkd.in/eEVdFGea Picture © RUG